THEY SAY you should never go back - but that old cliche was never going to stop Sauchie legend Fraser Duncan from jumping at the chance to save the club he loves.

The most successful manager in the Reds’ history made his sensational return to Beechwood Park this week after club supremo Noel Dalli convinced him he was the man to breathe new life into their relegation fight.

It’s been a season to forget so far for Sauchie - beset by managerial misfortune, injuries, and generous defending - but fresh from swapping the Dubai sunshine for a move back home, Duncan is prepared to give his all for a club “close to his heart”.

“I just can’t watch the club not doing well,” he told Advertiser Sport. “While I wanted nothing more than Martin (Mooney) to do well, because that didn’t work out I just feel I have got to come in and help them.

“This is my local team and I have put a lot of hard work and dedication into it.

“The club needs the community round them; it needs the fans to come back, it needs the sponsors to come back, and we need to start winning games.”

Had he had it his way, Duncan would have been sitting in the Jimmy Millar stand a few pints deep as pal Mooney guided the Reds to Premier Division success.

Mooney’s short-lived reign was curtailed due to personal reasons with Darren Cummings and Darren Petrie taking over the reins in the meantime.

Duncan says the rookie coaches have done brilliantly to keep the club afloat during a period of upheaval and he can’t wait to take them under his wing.

But, he has warned the Wee County faithful to have no delusions about their plight; this, he says, is a relegation dogfight against opposition who won’t gift Sauchie an inch.

“The last time I came in, the club was really struggling and I was able to turn it around,” he continued. “People need to be under no illusions that it is not a case that I will be coming in and things will suddenly be bright again.

“We are deep in a relegation battle and we are sitting bottom of that battle.

“If we are true to ourselves, I don’t think the supporters know how difficult a league this is and the quality of teams we are up against.

“This is going to be a fight right to the end of the season and we need to make ourselves difficult to beat at Beechwood again.”

Duncan will host a team meeting tonight - on top of their usual training routine - ahead of this weekend’s baptism by fire when they travel to league leaders Bo’ness United.

He said: “If there’s nobody there who is prepared to roll their sleeves up and understand this is a relegation battle then they are no good to me.

“But, I’ve got to get to know the lads first.

“It’s a massive game on Saturday and I will make sure our boys will not let it be a walkover.”

Meanwhile, the Wee Sauchie host Stoneyburn Juniors at Beechwood on Saturday. Kick off at 2.30pm.